Abstract

Japan and South Korea have been locked in a territorial dispute over the islands of Dokdo/Takeshima since the end of wwii. In this essay, we analyze the reasons why the issue has been a thorny issue for such a long time in their bilateral relationship. The calculus of domestic and international benefits and costs of the top decision makers in both countries reveal that neither party is likely to change their current position in the absence of a clear legal focal point, because both will have to come up with a substantial concession in order to achieve a peaceful resolution.